Tsubame-class minelayer

	Tsubame in April 1929
Class overview
Name	Tsubame class
Builders	Yokohama Dock Company; Ōsaka Iron Works;
Operators	Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded by	Sokuten-class
Succeeded by	Natsushima-class
Built	1928–1929
In commission	1929–1945
Planned	2
Completed	2
Lost	2
General characteristics
Type	Netlayer/Minelayer
Displacement	450 long tons (457 t) standard
Length	68.80 m (225 ft 9 in) overall
Beam	7.20 m (23 ft 7 in)
Draught	2.10 m (6 ft 11 in)
Propulsion	2 × triple expansion stages reciprocating engines; 2 × Kampon mix-fired boilers; 2 shafts, 2,500 shp;
Speed	19.0 knots (21.9 mph; 35.2 km/h)
Range	1,200 nmi (2,200 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h)
Complement	43
Armament	1 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) L/40 AA gun; 1 × 13.2 mm (0.52 in) machine guns; 80 × Mk.5 naval mines or 18 × depth charges or 6 × Type 14 502.5 m capture nets;

The Tsubame-class minelayer (燕型敷設艇,, Tsubame-gata Fusetsutei) was a class of minelayers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during and after 1929 through World War II.

Ships in class[]

Kamome in 1929

(燕)[]

17 September 1928: Laid down as the Capture netlayer (捕獲網艇, Hokakumōtei) at Yokohama Dock Company.
22 March 1929: Reclassified to 2nd class minelayer (二等敷設艇, Nitō-Fusetsutei).
24 April 1929: Launched.
10 July 1929: Completed.
30 May 1931: Reclassified to Special service ship (特務艇, Tokumutei).
In 1936: Rebuilding by the Tomozuru Incident at Sasebo Naval Arsenal.
In 1938: Sortie for the Second Sino-Japanese War.
18 December 1941: Sortie for the invasion of the Lingayen Gulf.
(after): She spent all her time on convoy escort operations in East China Sea and Java Sea.
1 February 1944: Reclassified to Minelayer (敷設艇, Fusetsutei).
1 March 1945: Sunk by air raid from U.S. Navy aircraft carrier at Ishigaki Island.
10 May 1945: Removed from Navy List.

(鷗)[]

11 October 1928: Laid down as the Capture netlayer at Ōsaka Iron Works.
22 March 1929: Reclassified to 2nd class minelayer.
27 April 1929: Launched.
30 August 1929: Completed.
30 May 1931: Reclassified to Special service ship.
In 1936: Rebuilding by the Tomozuru Incident at Sasebo Naval Arsenal.
In 1938: Sortie for the Second Sino-Japanese War.
18 December 1941: Sortie for the invasion of the Lingayen Gulf.
(after): She spent all her time on convoy escort operations in East China Sea, South China Sea and Java Sea.
1 February 1944: Reclassified to Minelayer.
27 April 1944: Sunk by USS Halibut at north off Naha 27°37′N 128°11′E / 27.617°N 128.183°E / 27.617; 128.183.
10 June 1944: Removed from Navy List.

Bibliography[]

Ships of the World special issue Vol.45, Escort Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy, "Kaijinsha"., (Japan), February 1996
The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.47, Japanese naval mine warfare crafts, "Ushio Shobō". (Japan), January 1981

show v t Japanese auxiliary ship classes of World War II
Colliers and oilers	Notoro Ondo Sunosaki Ashizuri Kazahaya^S Hayasui^S Hario^S Muroto Teiyō Maru^S (ex-)^SC
	Mamiya^S Nosaki^S Kinesaki Irako^S ^SC
Landing ships	No.1 No.101 Shinshū Maru^S (Army) SS (Army)
Armed merchant cruisers	Aikoku Maru^S Hōkoku Maru^S Kongō Maru^S Noshiro Maru^S
Minelayers and cable layer	Tokiwa^SC Itsukushima^S Yaeyama^S Okinoshima^S Tsugaru^S Minoo^SC Shirataka^S Hatsutaka Tsubame Natsushima (1933) Sokuten (1938) Hirashima Ajiro^S Kamishima Hashima Sokuten (1913) Aux. No.1 Aux. No.101 (ex-)^SC
Minesweepers	No.1 (1923) No.5 (1928) No.13 No.17 No.7 (1938) No.19 No.101 (ex- and )^C Aux. No.1 Aux. No.101 (ex-HNLMS DEFG-class) Aux. No.104 (ex-HNLMS DEFG-class)
Patrol boats	No.1^C No.31^C No.46^SC No.101 (ex-HMS Thracian)^SC No.102 (ex-USS Stewart)^SC No.103 (ex-USS Finch)^SC (ex-Dutch East Indies Valk and Arend)^C (ex-Philippine customs Arayat)^SC No.106 (ex-HNLMS Banckert (1929))^SCI No.107 (ex-USS Genesee)^SC (ex-Dutch East Indies Fazant)^SC Aux. No.1
Repair ships	Asahi^SC Akashi^S (ex-Chinese passenger Chin Kiang)^SC (ex-ROCN Min Sheng)^SC
Seaplane tenders	Notoro Kamoi^SC Chitose Mizuho^S Nisshin^S Akitsushima^S Kamikawa Maru
Submarine chasers	No.1 No.3^S No.4 No.13 No.28 No.60 Aux. No.1 (ex-)^SC Aux. No.102 (ex-HNLMS Ardjoeno class)^C (ex-HNLMS B1 class)^C Aux. No.111 (ex-HNLMS P13 or P14)^SC Aux. No.112 (ex-HNLMS A)^C Aux. No.117 (ex-HNLMS Bantam)^C Aux. No.251 Aux. No.253^S
Submarine tenders	Komahashi^SC Jingei Taigei^S
Survey ships	Tsukushi^S Katsuriki^SC (ex-China customs Fu Hsing)^SC
Target ships	Settsu^SC Yakaze^SC Hakachi^S Ōhama^S
Training ships	Fuji^SC Shikishima^SC Asama^SC Azuma^SC Kasuga^SC Atada (ex-ROCN Yat Sen)^SC
Others	Sōya (freighter)^SC Kashino (turret transporter)^S Ōtomari (icebreaker)^S Tategami (salvage tug) Kasashima (salvage tug) Miura (salvage tug) Kaiyō No.1 (oceanographic research ship) (traffic ship, ex-ROCN )^SC
S Single ship of class C Converted to ship type I Incomplete until the end of war

Class overview
Tsubame in April 1929
Name	Tsubame class
Builders	Yokohama Dock Company Ōsaka Iron Works
Operators	Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded by	Sokuten-class
Succeeded by	Natsushima-class
Built	1928–1929
In commission	1929–1945
Planned	2
Completed	2
Lost	2
General characteristics
Type	Netlayer/Minelayer
Displacement	450 long tons (457 t) standard
Length	68.80 m (225 ft 9 in) overall
Beam	7.20 m (23 ft 7 in)
Draught	2.10 m (6 ft 11 in)
Propulsion	2 × triple expansion stages reciprocating engines 2 × Kampon mix-fired boilers 2 shafts, 2,500 shp
Speed	19.0 knots (21.9 mph; 35.2 km/h)
Range	1,200 nmi (2,200 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h)
Complement	43
Armament	1 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) L/40 AA gun 1 × 13.2 mm (0.52 in) machine guns 80 × Mk.5 naval mines or 18 × depth charges or 6 × Type 14 502.5 m capture nets